PS Vita Memory Card prices leak, they are very high

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US retail prices for the PlayStation Vita‘s proprietary memory cards have appeared on the website of game retailer GameStop, and they look to put the hurt on players who were initially attracted to the upcoming handheld’s otherwise attractive base price tag.

The prices start at $29.99 and go all the way up to $119.99 – for a mere 32GB. The full range of prices includes:

4GB: $29.99

8GB: $44.99

16GB: $69.99

32GB: $119.99

The prices are generally in line with those in other territories, including Japan, which is notorious for high-priced electronics. Over there, a 32GB Vita card is set to cost 9,500 yen, or roughly $120.

Meanwhile, a cursory Google search yields 32GB SD cards selling online for less than $40. However, SD Cards or even the PSP’s old Memory Stick Pro cards will not be usable, as Sony has adopted a completely proprietary storage format.

Worse, 7 of the 21 upcoming launch titles (in Japan) will require the Vita card, which means that players will have to further pay up for the privilege of playing Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Ridge Racer or Disgaea 3 Return, among others. External storage is also required to acquire games by download from the PlayStation Store, so those who were hoping to turn their Vita into a primarily cloud system will ultimately pay a heavier price.

Sony appears to be adopting the razor-and-cartridge model with the Vita, telling by accessory prices. A simple USB cable? $17, at current exchange rates. How about that carrying case that got its own 8-minute video? $23. Earbuds? $36.

It’s been a proven model for decades that console makers sell the hardware at a loss and make the loss back up with software royalties. Making up the loss on required, not included, proprietary accessories may or may not be new, depending on how you view the Xbox 360‘s hard drive options.